Coffee and couture, finance and fitness, literature and life: One gal's struggle to follow her own advice.

March 16, 2010

You may have noticed that I haven't written in a while. Between starting our yoga co-op at Vitalize Community and Healing Arts Studio, keeping up with my day job at the bank and simply trying to get through the daily hullabaloo that is life, I haven't had a chance lately to compose my thoughts. But I've certainly been thinking a LOT.

No one warns you when you start a yoga business that the business of yoga is not strictly yogic. My partners and I wandered into the process all starry-eyed and hopeful. Little did we know that we might soon find ourselves reeling from the stress brought on by legalities, working in harmony with others and worrying about financial viability. I kept saying to my partners, "I JUST want to teach yoga. How hard is that?"

But even to "just teach," is not always easy either. Some days I find myself in a rush to get to my Wednesday night class after working all day in the office, and arrive flustered. Other days I find myself slightly dreading getting up so early to teach yoga at 6am. Is it all worth it?

The answer is in the outcome. I always feel 100% better as soon as I start teaching. And that's the point of it all, really--to feel like I'm doing what I'm meant to do, and to nurturing others' growth in the process.

But being a yoga practitioner and teacher does not mean that I know everything there is to know about yoga--the truth is I've barely scratched the surface. I do know a little, and I share what I do know. I am excited when I don't know the answer to a student's question--it means I have more to explore.

So, in that light, I have been continuing my education over the past several months. I've been diving into the study of the body and movement (anatomy and kinesiology), reading books on Ayurveda and attending workshops on yoga whenever I can. I even find myself using skills learned elsewhere useful in my yoga practice. For example, I was sent to a technical writing workshop this month for my banking job, which has helped me better organize my thoughts off and on the mat.

I am trying to recognize the sanskaras (mental imprints) that might be holding me back from being my greatest self. I am LOVING the exploration of yoga nidra, the art of "yogic sleep," which I started teaching in mid-February. I am reaching out to new members of the yoga and yoga teaching community, and I am attempting to step back and be real with myself before making any new commitments. There is a lot on my plate right now, and it's going to take a while to digest.

At the same time, I am looking to the horizon, so excited for what may come, and trying to savor each day. Thanks to all who have share your love and support of my dreams and endeavors. I hope to see you in a yoga class very soon!

January 15, 2010

For those of you who are living in Salt Lake City, UT, you may have felt a bit low energy this week. For a week solid we have had "Red" air quality alerts telling us not to exercise outdoors and not to drive unless we absolutely have to due to the inversion. Inversions occur when a stable air layer has trapped in the pollution and smog of the city in our little valley and it cannot escape, like a lid. Being "stuck" down in the muck can make us feel quite literally, "under the weather."

However, when I read Scott Moore's newsletter, I realized some of the positives we can take away from inversions of all kinds. It really lifted my spirits. Hopefully it has the same effect on you. Scott Moore is a fantastic yoga teacher in the Salt Lake area. I have reposted the content of his newsletter on inversions below (hope you don't mind, Scott!).

If you would like to join Scott's mailing list, please let me know.

Inversions: If You Can't Beat 'Em, Join 'Em

Most of the time, higher air temperature is cooler than lower air temperature. This is because the sun's energy is converted to heat as it hits the ground and makes the temperature near the surface warm. Once this heat radiates off the earth, the air expands and rises, cooling it as it goes. Sometimes, especially in winter and at night, this process is reversed when with clear skies (classic Utah) the sun goes down and the ground gets cold, cooling the air close to the ground. The higher air is suddenly warmer than the new cold air on bottom, and voila! an inversion is born. The warm air on top acts like a lid and traps the cool air on bottom as well as all the pollution that is sitting in that cold air, pollution from cars, fireplaces, and industry, etc. Us creatures who live near the surface are left to stew in our own muck and breathe all the gunk we would otherwise hope to drift out of sight and out of mind. In the murky inversion, we see clearly just what kind of pollution we emit every day, and we are forced to breathe that pollution.

The Sanskrit term for inversions is Viprita Karani, meaning active reversal. The ancients knew the value of changing things up, flipping things on their head for a different perspective and a different way of operating. Physically, getting upside-down is great for strengthening the muscles in the shoulders and arms as well as abdominals. Inversions are also great for cultivating balance and activating sluggish digestion. Getting upside-down reminds us that when life gets turned in the opposite direction than you'd expected, not only can you deal but maybe even learn to thrive. Inversions bring a lot of blood and energy to your head, great for stimulating your brain. Plus, inversions (the yoga kind) are fun. The not-so-fun kind of inversion is great for keeping us mindful about what we are doing to our air.

This week, let's practice turning things around. There are inversions for every body in every practice, ranging from simple, restorative poses to fun, intense poses. Let's find a version that matches your practice.

Perhaps with this clarity of turning upside-down and putting all this new energy into our noggins, we can come up with some great solutions for the pollution we are forced to sit in during these temperature inversions. I've come up with a few. Please feel free to add to the list.

1) If we all work together using the breathing techniques of our pranayama practice, maybe we can blow out all the gunk and start out fresh. 2) Carpool to practice or take the bus, eliminating excess pollution; and don't idle your car longer than 10 to 15 seconds. 3) Turn off lights and other electrical devises that don't need to be running. Much of our electricity comes from coal, which causes pollution. 4) Pretend that pollution doesn't exist and continue doing what we want until we all die of lung cancer from smokin' two packs of car exhaust a day.5) Write yet another folk song about air pollution and add some more hot air to the atmosphere.6) Skate, blade, run, bike, ski, dog sled, luge, skip, walk, pogo, moonwalk, saunter, strut, dance, lurk, creep, levitate, paddle, row, swim, climb, or fly to class.

January 14, 2010

As an avid reader of Gwenyth Paltrow's blog, Goop, which shares all sorts of fun stories and advice about very fancy places to go and things to eat, I was so excited to find that this week's post is about a very non-elite topic: Meditation. Learning to Meditate is Gwenyth's new year's resolution.

In this week's Goop newsletter, Gwenyth talks to experienced meditation practitioners to find out how to do it. After consulting several of them, Gwenyth concludes, "Their approaches are different but I think they are landing in pretty much the same spot."

Some approach meditation from a "Buddhist perspective," with the aim being to reach Nirvana. Others approach from a yogic perspective, clearing the mind to prepare for samadhi. Others, still, meditate with the intention of, "diving in and experienc[ing] an ocean of energy, intelligence and happiness." But no matter the reason, the benefit is a clearer, calmer outlook and a refreshing state of being. It is a beautiful feeling. Practicing meditation regularly may even help to lower blood pressure or even change your gene response to stress.

Have you tried meditation?

One way to try it out (from my own experience) is to find a quiet spot where you will not be disturbed. I find early morning hours are ideal for finding that solitude. Finding a comfortable seated position, gently close your eyes and rest you hands comfortably in your lap. Begin breathing in and out naturally through your nose, simply paying attention to your breath without changing it. Begin to imagine your breath traveling up and down your spine as you inhale and exhale. Relax the muscles of your face and jaw.

If you find your mind keeps wandering away from your breath, you might want to try using a mantra. A mantra is a sound, a word or a phrase that you can repeat over and over. You might choose a mantra with a specific intention, for example, "I am calm," or you might choose a mantra like the word "Om" or "Aum," focusing on that phrase as you either speak it out loud over and over or say it in your head.

Make sure you set time aside to meditate so you are not feeling stressed or distracted. I recommend at least 20-30 minutes. It will feel like a long time at first, but once you begin meditating on a regular basis, it will go by quickly because your mind will be able to settle into a meditative state more rapidly.

January 12, 2010

A third of the way through January, the holidays are over and most of us are settling back into the flow of normal life. The kids are back in school, we are back in the office, and life is as it was before. Or is it?

The coming of each new calendar year brings change, however subtle, as we adjust our goals, dreams and aspirations and the days begin to grow a little bit longer. We become aware of getting older, sort of like a second birthday, as we reminisce over the months that have so quickly flown by since the prior year's January came and went. Still, there is a calmness that creeps over the masses. We have survived another holiday season of overspending, gluttony and emotional highs and lows as we visited with friends and relatives we only see once in a while.

January is like a sigh of relief, taking us back into the world we know and away from forced smiles, extra-polite words and exhaustion brought on by the "too much" of everything that characterizes the months of November and December.

January for me, too, has been that sigh of relief. During December my partners and I worked furiously to prepare for the opening of our new yoga studio. This morning at 5:30am I sat in the studio breathing contentedly that January sigh. Owning my own business is, no doubt, a huge change for me, but somehow it feels natural and un-frenzied even though we are in the beginning difficult initial stage of marketing our presence and are definitively operating in the red.

When I was a young girl I was encouraged to right essays each January, setting long term aspirations. "Where do you see yourself in five years? In ten years?" I always pictured myself single and successful living in a lofty apartment in some important city like New York, entertaining guests wearing crisp designer clothing. "I will show them," I thought. Sort of a funny dream looking back now.

Never then did I picture myself seated joyfully in the center of a beautiful studio in the heart of Sugarhouse, teaching people to love themselves and know themselves better. I don't think I even knew what yoga was back then. Neither did I picture myself sitting in my very own office during the day working with great people and doing what I do for a large national financial institution during the toughest downturn in modern history.

I also didn't picture that I would find the greatest success of my life so far through love. Being married to Brooks is being married to my best friend, my most die-hard supporter, my psychologist, teacher and playmate. Finding someone who believes in me even more than I believe in myself has been the greatest gift. Whenever an idea pops through my head, and my "practical" side doubts my abilities, Brooks never doubts. His, "Why not?" attitude has made the most difficult changes and obstacles seem easy-even the humbling challenge of opening a yoga studio in January.

Whatever wishes, dreams, aspirations and changes you may formulate in the new year and every new year forward, let me share with you these words: "Why not?"

Breathing a sigh of relief, following that path you are meant to follow, "Why not?"

November 30, 2009

Etsy, you've probably heard, is a great place to find wonderful, handmade finds. It's also a wonderful place to find some very unique and affordable art. Thought I'd share a few of my fav finds with you today. Maybe it will bring out our artistic side?

It's easy to take beautiful pictures when you are in beautiful places. "Vietnam Bike," a beautiful photograph by Sarka Trager, reminds me of bicycle photos hanging in my parents home when I was growing up, and also makes me crave a bike with a basket. $30.00.

November 29, 2009

Yes! Our tree is up and ready to go for the holidays! There are even presents beneath it! I love having the tree up. Wish we could keep it up all year because it really lights up our little home.

Notice hubby Brooks' guitar cozied up next to the tree. He wooed me by crooning romantic songs about cherry blossoms while playing that guitar.

Behind the tree is a corkboard collage that represents how we make our marriage work. After we got married, I threw a fit when Brooks wanted to tape pictures to the wall to build a photo collage. The corkboards (we now have three of them) were our compromise and each one is beautiful and shows off all of the places we've traveled.

I am one lucky girl, and December 7th will be our 1.5 year anniversary! :-)

Thanksgiving was always my favorite holiday growing up. When I say this to people, I often get a look of bewilderment or even disgust. Thanksgivings, for many, represent endless awkward conversations with estranged relatives, the dread of trying to prepare a huge feast without adequate assistance and a tug-of-war between family members over whose turn it is to host the event or which dinner to attend. For these reasons, many choose not to celebrate this holiday at all.

I admit I have been lucky. Thanksgivings with the Martain clan, my dad's side of the family, revolve around the concept of who can tell the most humorous, but amazingly, true, story, who can win the family wrestling match, and of course, plenty of food and drink. Spending a whole day with this quirky, lovable family is where I feel most at home. This is my tribe.

To those who do not yet love Thanksgiving, find your tribe to celebrate it with. This tribe may be friends or neighbors, but always people you are thankful for, and you will learn to love it.

Last year, Thanksgiving was different. My dad managed to fall off of a deck and break his pelvis just before Thanksgiving Day, and was stuck in the hospital for quite a while. My husband and I spent turkey day at my mother-in-law's house, which was very pleasant, but I couldn't quite get in the spirit knowing my dad was wearing a backless gown and munching on hospital food.

Dad just celebrated his one year anniversary of falling off of the deck, and is doing very well. For this, I am thankful, and am more than ever looking forward to Thanksgiving with my Martain family. The tribe will have new members this year, an initiation my husband already went through two Thanksgivings ago. My beautiful aunt will be bringing her new fiance, Chris, and my sister will be bringing her boyfriend, Matt.

To new tribe members I say this:

Welcome to Thanksgiving with the Martain clan. Be prepared for general mayhem, hilarity and so forth, but also be prepared to be wholly embraced, as we are famous for doing to anyone willing to spend the day with us. And that, most of all, is what I love about Thanksgiving.

November 23, 2009

It's the holiday season! I woke up this morning to a beautiful winter wonderland, which was just what I needed before teaching 7am yoga. I live above the Salt Lake LDS temple, so the walk to Main Street, where I teach, included a magical stroll through the wintery grounds, twinkling with thousands of Christmas lights in the crisp pre-dawn air.

After teaching a yoga practice centered around the experience of gratitude (as Thanksgiving Day approaches), one of my students sent me this: